Champagne Wednesdays

Champagne belongs with pulpy orange juice and sunshine the way that Trevor Linden belongs with the Canucks and Mondays should belong to weekends. I think you will agree.

These particular mimosas were consumed on Saturday, at the perfect place to indulge dreams of consistent patio weather and French cafe life. I am talking about here:

A surprise pocket-of-life on the long stretch that is 16th avenue. The Avenue of not-in-your-Dreams.

Kari and I used to frequent Trafalgars for some very important strategic planning sessions when we worked together. Since that ended, I have been dying to go back and see if Trafalgars could be everything I rememebered now that I was paying the bill. Ash and I were greeted by:

…who didn’t seem to mind at all that I was taking pictures of his restaurant. Note to self: a proper journalist would have collected his name. For now, let’s call him Smiley. He has never appeared on a blog before, so I hope that not having his name doesn’t dampen the experience. For the record, I think it’s Stephen. Owner, Fabulous Place.

We sat on the patio and Ash gave me the seat with direct sun, which was very nice and unusual of him because usually he gets all the sun and I am stuck in the shade. We’d just had our haircuts too, so I felt like we were looking pretty stylish on the small and intimate street-side patio (the perfect patio for a group of two surrounded by other groups of two equally engrossed in each others’ company).

We ordered Mimosas, Roasted Chicken salad with pineapple relish and potato gnocchi croutons ($16), the Chicken and Brie panini with cranberry chutney and vindaloo mayonnaise ($15), and Creme Brulee for dessert ($ who cares, it was so good).

The pakoras were heaven (nearly better than Rangoli’s) and we both agreed that gnochhi croutons were a stroke of genius. The panini was, refreshingly, not the greasy-on-the-outside kind, though we think it could have used more punch. I dipped it in the pakora sauce which was my own stroke of genius.

In total, the bill came to about $70.00 with tip, but we accidentally ordered sparkling water (don’t you hate when that happens?) so that would have saved us a few dollars. Yes, it’s a splurge, but it offers more personality and escapism-dining than Earls ever can, and for nearly the same price. Plus, I like a place that serves doubly as somewhere I would want to take my parents and/or somewhere I can pretend I live a life of laissez-faire lunching on the chic westside. This is the place.

Trafalgars Bistro • 2603 West 16th Ave • Vancouver • BC

www.trafalgars.com

Edit: Ash paid the bill! Thanks honey.

Yes, we are still recovering from yesterday’s feast up at the Domaine de Chaberton winery in Langely’s back country where we went to celebrate my parent’s 29th anniversary and my dad’s retirement. First retirement, that is.

If ever there was a reason for Hwy 1, Bacchus Bistro is it. The little cinder block building behind the wine shop is an imported piece of French country, with tables and walls dressed in rustic reds and greens, a half-exposed kitchen and chefs in crisp whites. And yes, like most places in Vancouver, you could easily be comfortable in your Lululemons and rubber boots, but there’s just enough French attitude here to carry a dress or tie as well. The food deserves your best.

First things first, order a glass (or bottle) of the buttery Bacchus Chardonnay. Then, ask yourself, do I like butter? Do I like cheese? Do I like bacon? If you answer yes to any or all of these, then you will understand our ordering dilemma. The wine will help lubricate whatever reluctance you might feel in ordering the entire menu. After all, it was a long drive. Who knows when you’ll be back?

We had: three perfectly puffed onion tarts, 3 cauldrons of French onion soup, 1 prawns andalouise, 1 crepes with ham, gruyere and mornay sauce, 2 spinach salads with blue goat cheese and candied walnuts, 1 quiche with tomato and oka cheese, 2 lemon tarts, 3 chocolate mousse with prailine crusts and 3 bottles of wine.

A word for the wiser…unless you are an insomniac or freakishly unaffected by extreme overeating and wine consumption, go for lunch. Initially, we had tried to book a dinner reservation. They were full. This turned out to be a blessing. If you live in Vancouver, I would highly suggest you go for an afternoon adventure. First, because the drive is a commitment. And second, because you are guaranteed to eat (and drink) to excess. There’s just something about the daylight, when you finally emerge from the dining room, that makes the drive home possible (against all odds). I am certain that if we had gone for dinner, the six of us, plus baby David, would be waking up in the winery parking lot right now.

Bacchus Bistro. Hours of Operation:
Lunch Wed through Sunday: 11:30 - 3:00 pm
Dinner Friday & Saturday 5:30 - 9:30 pm
Reservations are highly recommended. Call 604 530 9694.

ps - order dessert first. The Americans stole our profiteroles.

pps - photo at top is from a new favourite Flikr find, House on Hill Road